The present invention relates to a method for the synchronized visualization of two partial scenes, in particular for the three-dimensional rendering of contour surfaces of two workpieces, as well as a corresponding device, in particular a simulation computer.
In CNC-controlled processing machines, a workpiece is typically either encoded directly or the workpiece is first modeled using a CAD system and thereafter converted into an equivalent CNC parts program. The resulting CNC parts programs and/or the CAD model then correspond to perfect processing commands for the processing machine. The CNC programs is then loaded into a CNC controller and the processing machine is controlled according to the CNC program.
If the workpiece manufactured according to this CNC program is within the desired manufacturing tolerances of an ideal workpiece, then this approach causes no problem. However, if the manufactured workpiece does not meet the desired requirements, then the process needs to be optimized and the necessary changes, for example in the CNC program, have to be made so that an acceptable workpiece can be produced.
It is possible to change sequentially individual processing commands and/or individual operating parameters of the processing machine, to produce a new workpiece and to then test the new workpiece. However, this approach is very time consuming and expensive, and wastes material. Moreover, the cause for deviations between the actually manufactured workpiece and the desired workpiece it is frequently not known.
For this reason, there is an increasing trend to simulate mechatronic systems, such as industrial processing machines. However, a visualization environment is needed for analyzing the simulation results and for realistically rendering the surface of a workpiece generated by the simulation. The visualization environment is particularly important for the process simulation.
Such a visualization environment is particularly important because visualization allows a better evaluation of the contours of several different workpieces calculated by the simulation system or of the differences between the actually produced workpiece and the desired workpiece. In a simulated milling operation, for example, milling points and the milling path as well as possibly an associated area workpiece contour have to be rendered. An evaluation of such virtually machined workpiece surfaces or other surfaces requires a differential comparison between parts programs with milled contours of individual control components (monitoring principle).
Modern visualization elements provide three-dimensional rendering and can be integrated with other applications. The rendered content represents orthographic and/or perspective three-dimensional projections which can be interactively changed by the user. The user can typically rotate, displace and size (zoom) the rendered content. User-friendly visualization elements can also allow the user to obtain associated information by selecting certain details, such as for example the dimensions, spatial location or relationship to other details of the scene.
This leads to a better understanding of the manufacturing process. Moreover, the surface quality of the workpiece to be manufactured can be determined and analyzed already in the design stage, so that the existing parameter values of the control and drive of the machine tool can be optimized.
Accordingly, a “virtual workpiece” can be manufactured and/or the manufacturing operation can be carried out virtually. It is hence not necessary to actually produce a workpiece. In principle, there is not even a need for a processing machine. The number of prototypes can be significantly reduced through simulation and virtual production which saves costs.
This applies to a comparison of the same workpiece fabricated in two different ways (e.g. with differently parameterized machine tools), or a workpiece which is processed by different techniques, e.g. scrubbing, pre-sizing, sizing.
Conventional methods for visualizing several workpiece surfaces are limited to rendering the surfaces of different workpieces individually in graphic form. Hereby, corresponding partial scenes are typically visualized and evaluated sequentially and separately.
Accordingly, it would be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved and more refined visualization of two or more three-dimensional contoured surfaces, for example of workpieces, so that a user can effectively compare even small differences between such surfaces and thereby evaluate surface qualities and differences between the surface qualities.